Methods and apparatus for selectively processing eggs having identified characteristics

ABSTRACT

Methods and apparatus for processing eggs based upon a characteristic such as gender are provided. Material is extracted from each of a plurality of live eggs, the extracted material is assayed to identify eggs having the characteristic, and then eggs identified as having the characteristic are processed accordingly.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.14/087,633, filed Nov. 22, 2013, which is a continuation of U.S.application Ser. No. 13/626,356, filed Sep. 25, 2012, now U.S. Pat. No.8,610,018, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No.12/535,643, filed Aug. 4, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,399,247, which is acontinuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/937,640, filed Sep. 9,2004, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No. 10/076,490,filed Feb. 15, 2002, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,041,439, which claims thebenefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/284,267, filed Apr. 17,2001, all of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference intheir entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to eggs and, more particularly,to methods and apparatus for processing eggs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Discrimination between poultry eggs (hereinafter “eggs”) on the basis ofsome observable quality is a well-known and long-used practice in thepoultry industry. “Candling” is a common name for one such technique, aterm which has its roots in the original practice of inspecting an eggusing the light from a candle. Although egg shells appear opaque undermost lighting conditions, eggs are actually somewhat translucent.Accordingly, when placed in front of a light, the contents of an egg canbe observed.

In poultry hatcheries, one purpose of candling eggs is to identify andthen segregate live eggs (i.e., eggs which are to be hatched to livepoultry) from non-live eggs (e.g., clear eggs, dead eggs, rotted eggs,empty eggs, etc.). U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,955,728 and 4,914,672, both toHebrank, describe a candling apparatus that uses infrared detectors andthe infrared radiation emitted from an egg to identify live eggs. U.S.Pat. No. 4,671,652 to van Asselt et al. describes a candling a apparatusin which a plurality of light sources and corresponding light detectorsare mounted in an array, and wherein eggs are passed between the lightsources and the light detectors to identify live eggs.

Once identified, live avian eggs may be treated with medications,nutrients, hormones and/or other beneficial substances while the embryosare still in the egg (i.e., in ovo). In ovo injections of varioussubstances into avian eggs have been employed to decrease post-hatchmorbidity and mortality rates, increase the potential growth rates oreventual size of the resulting bird, and even to influence the genderdetermination of the embryo. Injection of vaccines into live eggs havebeen effectively employed to immunize birds in ovo. It is furtherdesirable in the poultry industry to manipulate an embryo in ovo tointroduce foreign nucleic acid molecules (i.e., to create a transgenicbird) or to introduce foreign cells (i.e., to create a chimeric bird)into the developing embryo.

In ovo injection of a virus may be utilized to propagate the particularvirus for use in preparation of vaccines. Examples of substances thathave been used for, or proposed for, in ovo injection include vaccines,antibiotics and vitamins. Examples of in ovo treatment substances andmethods of in ovo injection are described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,458,630 toSharma et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 5,028,421 to Fredericksen et al.

Improved methods of injecting eggs containing an embryo may be used toremove samples from eggs, including embryonic and extra-embryonicmaterials; Further, for other applications it may be desirable to inserta sensing device inside an egg containing an embryo to collectinformation therefrom, for example, as described in U.S. Pat. No.6,244,214 to Hebrank, which is incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

In commercial hatcheries, eggs typically are held in setting flatsduring incubation. At a selected time, typically on the eighteenth dayof incubation, the eggs are removed from an incubator. Unfit eggs(namely, dead eggs, rotted eggs, empties, and clear eggs) are identifiedand removed, live eggs are treated (e.g., inoculated) and thentransferred to hatching baskets.

In hatchery management, it may be desirable to separate birds based uponvarious characteristics, such as gender, diseases, genetic traits, etc.For example, it may be desirable to inoculate male birds with aparticular vaccine and inoculate female birds with a different vaccine.Sex separation of birds at hatch may be important for other reasons aswell. For example, turkeys are conventionally segregated by sex becauseof the difference in growth rate and nutritional requirements of maleand female turkeys. In the layer or table egg industry, it is desirableto keep only females. In the broiler industry, it is desirable tosegregate birds based on sex to gain feed efficiencies, improveprocessing uniformity, and reduce production costs.

Unfortunately, conventional methods of sexing birds may be expensive,labor intensive, time consuming, and typically require trained personswith specialized skills. Conventional methods of sexing birds includefeather sexing, vent sexing, and DNA or blood sexing. Aboutthree-thousand (3,000) chicks can be feather-sexed per hour at a cost ofabout 0.7 to 2.5 cents per chick. About fifteen hundred (1,500) chickscan be vent-sexed per hour at a cost of about 3.6 to 4.8 cents perchick. DNA or blood sexing is performed by analyzing a small sample ofblood collected from a bird.

It would be desirable to identify the sex of birds, as well as othercharacteristics of birds, prior to hatching. Pre-hatch sexidentification could reduce costs significantly for various members ofthe poultry industry. Although conventional candling techniques candiscriminate somewhat effectively between live and non-live eggs, theseconventional candling techniques may not be able to reliably determinegender and other characteristics of unhatched birds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above discussion, embodiments of the present inventionprovide methods of processing eggs having an identified characteristic(e.g., gender) wherein material (e.g., allantoic fluid, amnion, yolk,shell, albumen, tissue, membrane and/or blood, etc.) is extracted fromeach of a plurality of live eggs, the extracted material is assayed toidentify eggs having a characteristic, and then eggs identified ashaving the characteristic are processed accordingly. For example, amethod of processing eggs based upon gender, according to embodiments ofthe present invention, includes identifying live eggs among a pluralityof eggs, extracting allantoic fluid from the eggs identified as liveeggs, detecting a presence of an estrogenic compound in the allantoicfluid extracted from each live egg to identify a gender of each liveegg, detecting a color change of the allantoic fluid to identify thegender of each egg, and then selectively injecting a vaccine into thelive eggs according to gender.

According to embodiments of the present invention, extracting allantoicfluid from the eggs includes positioning each of the live eggs in agenerally horizontal orientation whereby an allantois of each egg iscaused to pool and enlarge an allantoic sac under an upper portion ofeach egg shell, inserting a probe (e.g., a needle) into each egg throughthe shell of the egg and directly into the enlarged allantoic sac, andwithdrawing a sample of allantoic fluid from the allantois of each eggvia each probe. According to embodiments of the present invention,detecting a presence of an estrogenic compound in the allantoic fluidincludes dispensing allantoic fluid extracted from the live eggs intorespective receptacles, and dispensing a biosensor into the receptacles,wherein the biosensor is configured to chemically react with anestrogenic compound in the allantoic fluid and change a color of theallantoic fluid.

According to embodiments of the present invention, selectively injectinga vaccine into the live eggs according to gender includes injecting afirst vaccine into live eggs identified as male, and injecting a secondvaccine into live eggs identified as female. Alternatively, selectivelyinjecting a vaccine into the live eggs according to gender includesinjecting a vaccine into live eggs identified as having the same gender.

According to other embodiments of the present invention, materialextracted from eggs may be assayed to identify one or more pathogenswithin each egg. Eggs identified as having one or more pathogens aresubsequently removed from the remaining live eggs.

According to other embodiments of the present invention, geneticanalyses may be performed on material extracted from eggs.

According to embodiments of the present invention, an automated gendersorting system is provided and includes three independent modules linkedvia a network. The first module is an allantoic fluid sampling module.Flats of eggs are removed from a setting incubator, typically on Day 15,16, or 17 of a 21-Day incubation cycle, and fed onto a conveyor belt. Anoptical-based sensor automatically identifies live eggs and the eggs(either only live eggs or all eggs) are transferred into an array of eggcradles. Each egg cradle is configured to reposition a respective eggonto its side and to center the egg. A needle is then inserted into eachegg to a depth of about five to six millimeters (5-6 mm) into about themidpoint of an egg, and allantoic fluid (e.g., about 20.mu.l) iswithdrawn. The fluid sample from each egg is deposited into a respectivewell in a bar-coded assay template. The wells in the template may bearranged in the same array as the array of the egg flat, according toembodiments of the present invention. Each sampling needle is sanitizedbefore being used to sample material from another egg.

The eggs are repositioned via the cradles to upright positions and thenreturned to a bar-coded egg flat. The flats are then typically returnedto a setting incubator. The assay templates containing the sampledmaterial (e.g., allantoic fluid) from the eggs are stacked forprocessing, and a data processor on the network matches the barcodes ofeach egg flat and assay template.

The second module is an automated assaying module. An operator loads aplurality of assay templates containing sampled material (e.g.,allantoic fluid) from eggs into the assaying module. Within the assayingmodule, each assay template is moved via a conveyor system beneath adispensing head which dispenses a predetermined amount (e.g., about 75μl) of reagent (e.g., a LiveSensors™ brand cell-based biosensor,LifeSensors, Inc., Malvern, Pa.) into each respective well. Each assaytemplate then progresses through an environmentally-controlled chamberfor a predetermined period of time (e.g., about 3.5 hours). Each assaytemplate is moved via a conveyor system beneath another dispensing headwhich dispenses a predetermined amount of a color substrate (e.g.,ONPG-based substrate), into each well. Each assay template thenprogresses through an environmentally-controlled chamber for apredetermined period of time (e.g., about 45 minutes) to allow colordevelopment within each well.

A CCD (charge-coupled device) camera then scans each well to determinethe gender of a respective egg whose sample material is in the well.This information is stored via a data processor on the network.According to embodiments of the present invention, the reagent (e.g., aLiveSensors™ brand cell-based biosensor) within each well is thendestroyed (e.g., via heat and/or via chemical treatment) prior todisposal of each assay template.

The third module is an egg treatment and sorting module. According toembodiments of the present invention, the bar-coded egg flats areremoved from the setting incubator towards the end of the 21-Dayincubation cycle (e.g., Day 18 or 19, etc.) and placed on a conveyorsystem. According to embodiments of the present invention, a dataprocessor on the network identifies which eggs are male and which eggsare female based on information previously stored. The male eggs arethen vaccinated with a male-specific vaccination and the female eggs arevaccinated with a female-specific vaccination. According to embodimentsof the present invention, separate vaccination devices may be utilizedfor male and female eggs. Once vaccinated, the eggs are sorted by genderand transferred to gender-specific hatching baskets. The hatchingbaskets are then transferred to hatching incubators. According toembodiments of the present invention, eggs of one gender can bediscarded and not vaccinated or transferred into hatching baskets.

According to embodiments of the present invention, eggs are separated bygender (or other characteristic) first and then processed. For example,eggs may be sorted by gender and then the male and female eggs areprocessed separately.

According to embodiments of the present invention, estrogenic compoundspresent in the allantoic fluid of female embryos, but not male embryos,are detected. Avian embryos can be gender sorted on the basis of thepresence of estrogenic compounds in the allantoic fluid of femaleembryos between days thirteen and eighteen (13-18) of incubation, inbroiler, broiler breeder, turkey, and layer embryos, and regardless offlock age or strain.

Embodiments of the present invention can facilitate increased productionefficiencies by contributing to savings in incubation space (e.g., nothatching chicks identified as males pre-hatch), by contributing tosavings in vaccinations, by allowing reduction in manual labor, and byincreasing hatchery processing speeds. For example, throughput rates ofbetween about twenty thousand and thirty thousand (20,000-30,000) eggsper hour can be gender sorted and vaccinated via embodiments of thepresent invention, and with an accuracy rate exceeding ninety-eightpercent (98%). Because the gender of eggs are known prior tovaccination, savings in vaccination costs can be realized particularlywhen it is desirable to vaccinate only a specific gender. In addition,embodiments of the present invention can be easy to operate, even byunskilled workers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a flowchart of operations for processing eggs, according toembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart of operations for identifying live eggs from amonga plurality of eggs, according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart of operations for candling eggs, according toembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart of operations for spectral candling of eggs,according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 5 illustrates exemplary spectra for three eggs subjected to thespectral candling operations of FIG. 4.

FIG. 6 is a flowchart of operations for light and thermal candling ofeggs, according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of operations for extracting material from eggs,according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic illustration of an egg in a tilted orientation andillustrating the pooling of the allantois under the upper shell of theegg.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart of operations for assaying extracted egg materialto identify a characteristic of eggs, according to embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIGS. 10A-10B are flowcharts of operations for selectively processingeggs based on identified characteristics, according to embodiments ofthe present invention.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram of systems and methods for processing eggs,according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a schematic illustration of top-level controls architecturefor an egg processing system according to embodiments of the presentinvention within a hatchery wherein individual PLCs are utilized tocontrol a material extraction station, an assaying station, andtreatment, and sorting stations, respectively.

FIGS. 13A-13D are more detailed illustrations of a top-level controlsarchitecture for an egg processing system according to embodiments ofthe present invention within a hatchery wherein individual PLCs areutilized to control a material extraction station (sampling module), anassaying module, and transfer module, respectively.

FIG. 14 is a side elevation view of an apparatus for extracting material(also referred to as a sampling module) from a plurality of eggs,according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of the apparatus for extracting material ofFIG. 14 illustrating the transfer apparatus and two sampling apparatuson opposite sides of the transfer apparatus.

FIG. 16 is a plan view of the egg flat conveyor systems and egg cradlesof the material extraction apparatus of FIG. 14 taken along lines 16-16.

FIG. 17 is a side elevation view of the material extraction apparatus ofFIG. 14 illustrating lateral movement of the egg transfer apparatusbetween the two egg flat conveyor systems and the egg cradles.

FIG. 18A illustrates the loading of incoming egg flats onto the incomingegg flat conveyor system and the loading of empty egg flats onto theoutgoing egg flat conveyor system.

FIG. 18A also illustrates an incoming egg flat positioned within thecandling area of the material extraction apparatus of FIG. 14.

FIG. 18B illustrates movement of incoming egg flats along the incomingegg flat conveyor system to the picker area where the egg transferapparatus transfers eggs from incoming egg flats to the egg cradles.

FIG. 18C illustrates a plurality of eggs seated within the plurality ofegg cradles after being transferred from an incoming egg flat by the eggtransfer apparatus.

FIG. 18D illustrates movement of the egg cradles to a location where asampling apparatus is configured to extract material from the eggspositioned within the egg cradles.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a portion of an array of egg cradlesconfigured to receive eggs in a generally vertical orientation and tocause the eggs to move to a generally horizontal orientation, accordingto embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is an enlarged perspective view of a cradle in the array of FIG.19.

FIG. 21 is a top plan view of the egg cradle of FIG. 20 taken alonglines 21-21.

FIG. 22 is a side elevation view of the egg cradle of FIG. 20 takenalong lines 22-22.

FIG. 23 is a side view of an egg positioning apparatus, according toalternative embodiments of the present invention, and wherein an egg isin a generally horizontal position therein.

FIG. 24 illustrates the egg positioning apparatus of FIG. 23, whereinthe egg is being urged to a generally vertical orientation by anorientation member.

FIG. 25 is a partial top plan view of the egg positioning apparatus ofFIG. 23 taken along lines 25-25 and illustrating the inclined upper endsof the first and second portions.

FIG. 26 is a partial end view of the egg positioning apparatus of FIG.25 taken along lines 26-26.

FIG. 27 is a top plan view of a lifting head of the egg transferapparatus of FIG. 14 illustrating an array of manifold blocks and vacuumcups, wherein the array is in an expanded configuration.

FIG. 28 is a top plan view of the lifting head of FIG. 27, and whereinthe array of manifold blocks and vacuum cups is contracted along a firstdirection.

FIG. 29 is a side elevation view of the lifting head of FIG. 27 takenalong lines 29-29.

FIG. 30 is an enlarged side view of one of the flexible cups of thelifting head of FIG. 27 that is configured to transfer a respective eggaccording to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 31 is a side view of a sample head for extracting material from anegg, according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 32 is a side section view of an egg cradle within the illustratedarray of FIG. 19 with an egg positioned therewithin in a generallyhorizontal position, and illustrating a sample head in contactingrelationship with the egg.

FIG. 33 is a side view of a plurality of sample heads for one of thefour sampling apparatus in FIG. 14 wherein each sample head is incontact with the shell of an egg within a respective egg cradle prior toextracting material from the egg, and wherein a sample needle withineach sample head is in a retracted position.

FIG. 34 illustrates the sample heads of FIG. 33 wherein the sampleneedles are in a first extended position and have pierced the shell ofeach respective egg and are in position to extract material from eachrespective egg.

FIG. 35 illustrates the sample heads of FIG. 33 wherein the sampleneedles are in a second extended position for dispensing materialextracted from respective eggs into respective sample receptacles in anassay template.

FIG. 36A illustrates one of the sample heads of FIG. 33 with a biasingmember illustrated in phantom line.

FIG. 36B illustrates the sample head of FIG. 536A wherein the biasingforce of air in the lower half of the sample head cylinder has beenovercome such that the sample needle is in a first extended position andhas pierced the shell of the egg and is in position to extract materialfrom the egg.

FIG. 36C illustrates the sample head of FIG. 36B wherein the biasingforce of the biasing member has been overcome such that the sampleneedle is in the second extended position and is configured to dispensematerial extracted from the egg into a sample receptacle and then besanitized.

FIG. 36D illustrates an exemplary sanitizing fountain that may beutilized to sterilize a respective sample needle, in accordance withembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 37 is a plan view of the array of sample heads of FIG. 33 takenalong lines 37-37 and illustrating locking plates according toembodiments of the present invention that are configured to maintaineach sample head in a vertically-locked position relative to arespective egg as material is extracted from the egg.

FIG. 38A is a plan view of the locking plates of FIG. 37 according toone embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 38B is a plan view of locking plates according to an alternativeembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 39A is a side view of a sample head from the array of FIG. 33illustrating the locking plate in a non-engaged position relative to thesample head.

FIG. 39B illustrates the sample head of FIG. 39A wherein the lockingplate is being moved to the right and has engaged the sample head toforce the sample head against two stationary plates.

FIG. 39C illustrates the sample head of FIG. 39A wherein the lockingplate has secured the sample head against the two stationary plates suchthat vertical movement of the sample head is restrained.

FIG. 40 is a plan view of a sample tray having a plurality of samplereceptacles configured to receive material extracted from eggs accordingto embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 41 is an enlarged partial plan view of the sample tray of FIG. 40illustrating material extracted from eggs dispensed within respectivesample receptacles of the sample tray.

FIGS. 42A-42B are top plan views of the sample tray handling systemaccording to embodiments of the present invention and illustratingsample trays being moved relative to the sampling apparatus of FIG. 14.

FIGS. 43-44 are block diagrams of systems and methods for assayingmaterial extracted from a plurality of eggs in order to identify eggshaving one or more characteristics, according to embodiments of thepresent invention.

FIG. 45 is a plan view of a portion of a sample tray wherein eggmaterial in each receptacle has been assayed to reveal a visibleindication of a characteristic of a respective egg.

FIG. 46 is side elevation view of an assaying apparatus for assayingmaterial extracted from eggs contained within a plurality of sampletrays, according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 47 is side elevation view of a sorting apparatus according toembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 48 is a top plan view of the sorting apparatus of FIG. 47 takenalong lines 48-48.

FIG. 49 is a top plan view of a backfill and injection apparatus to beused in conjunction with the sorting apparatus of FIG. 47 according toembodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 50 is a top plan view of a backfill apparatus to be used inconjunction with the sorting apparatus of FIG. 47 and with a processingapparatus according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 51 is a side elevation view of the backfill apparatus of FIG. 50.

FIG. 52 is a perspective view of a treatment and sorting stationaccording to other embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 53 is a plan view of the egg flat conveyor systems and egg cradlesof the material extraction apparatus of FIG. 14 taken along lines 16-16that includes an assaying apparatus for assaying material extracted froma plurality of eggs according to embodiments of the present invention.

FIG. 54 is block diagram of the assaying apparatus of FIG. 53.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention now is described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings, in which preferred embodimentsof the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied inmany different forms and should not be construed as limited to theembodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided sothat this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and will fullyconvey the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. Unlessotherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein havethe same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in theart to which this invention belongs. The terminology used in thedescription of the invention herein is for the purpose of describingparticular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of theinvention.

As used in the description of the invention and the appended claims, thesingular forms “a”, “an” and “the” are intended to include the pluralforms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise.

All publications, patent applications, patents, and other referencesmentioned herein are incorporated by reference in their entirety.

The terms “bird” and “avian” as used herein, include males or females ofany avian species, but are primarily intended to encompass poultry whichare commercially raised for eggs or meat. Accordingly, the terms “bird”and “avian” are particularly intended to encompass chickens, turkeys,ducks, geese, quail and pheasant. The term “in ovo,” as used herein,refers to birds contained within an egg prior to hatch. The presentinvention may be practiced with any type of bird egg, including, but notlimited to, chicken, turkey, duck, goose, quail, and pheasant eggs.

As used herein, the terms “injection” and “injecting” encompass methodsof inserting a device (typically an elongate device) into an egg orembryo, including methods of delivering or discharging a substance intoan egg or embryo, methods of removing a substance (i.e., a sample) froman egg or embryo, and/or methods of inserting a detector device into anegg or embryo.

As used herein, the term “allantoic fluid” encompasses allantoic fluidwith or without the presence of other egg materials. For example, theterm allantoic fluid may include a mixture of blood and allantoic fluid.

As used herein, the term “predetermined location” indicates a fixedposition or depth within an egg. For example, a device may be injectedinto an egg to a fixed depth and/or fixed position in the egg. Inalternative embodiments, the injection may be carried out based oninformation obtained from the egg, e.g., regarding the position of theembryo or the subgerminal cavity within the egg.

Methods and apparatus according to embodiments of the present inventionmay be utilized for identifying one or more characteristics of an egg atany time during the embryonic development period (also referred to asthe incubation period) thereof. Embodiments of the present invention arenot limited to a particular day during the embryonic development period.

Referring now to FIG. 1, methods of processing live eggs based uponidentified characteristics, according to embodiments of the presentinvention, are illustrated. Initially, live eggs are identified among aplurality of eggs undergoing incubation (Block 1000). For example, theeggs are candled to identify which eggs are live eggs. Material isextracted from each live egg (Block 2000) and the extracted material isassayed to identify one or more characteristics (e.g., gender, pathogencontent, genetic markers related to bird health or performance,nutritional, endocrine or immune indicators or factors, etc.) of therespective egg (Block 3000). The live eggs are then selectivelyprocessed based upon the identified one or more characteristics (Block4000). Each of these operations are described in detail below.

Referring to FIG. 2, identifying live eggs among a plurality of eggs(Block 1000) may involve various techniques including, but not limitedto, conventional candling (Block 1100), spectral candling (Block 1200),and the combination of light and thermal candling (Block 1300).Embodiments of the present invention may utilize any method ofdetermining whether an egg contains a live embryo, and are not limitedto only the methods described herein.

Referring to FIG. 3, conventional candling techniques include measuringthe opacity of an egg to visible light, infrared light, and/or otherelectromagnetic radiation (Block 1110), and then identifying live eggsusing measured opacity values (Block 1120). Exemplary candling methodsand apparatus are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,955,728 and 4,914,672,both to Hebrank, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,671,652 to van Asselt et al., whichare incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Conventionalegg candling techniques are well understood by those of skill in the artand need not be described further herein.

Referring to FIG. 4, spectral candling (Block 1200) includesilluminating an egg with light in both visible and infrared wavelengths(Block 1210) and then receiving light passing through the egg at adetector positioned adjacent the egg (Block 1220). For example, an eggmay be illuminated with light at wavelengths of between about threehundred nanometers and about eleven hundred nanometers (300 nm-1,100nm). Intensity of the received light is determined at selected visibleand infrared wavelengths for the egg (Block 1230) and a spectrum isgenerated that represents light intensity at the visible and infraredwavelengths (Block 1240). The spectrum generated for the egg is thencompared with a spectrum associated with a live egg to identify whetherthe egg is a live egg (Block 1250).

FIG. 5 illustrates three spectra for three respective eggs candied viaspectral candling techniques. Wavelength in nanometers (nm) is plottedalong the X axis, and light intensity counts are plotted along the Yaxis. Spectrum 2 is associated with a clear egg. Spectrum 3 isassociated with an early dead egg. Spectrum 4 is associated with a liveegg. Spectral candling is described in co-assigned U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/742,167, filed on Dec. 20, 2000, which isincorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Referring to FIG. 6, light and thermal candling (Block 1300) includesmeasuring the opacity of an egg (Block 1310), measuring the temperatureof the egg (Block 1320), and using the measured opacity and temperaturevalues to identify whether the egg is a live egg (Block 1330). Light andthermal candling is described in co-assigned U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 09/563,218, filed May 2, 2000, which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

Referring to FIG. 7, operations for extracting material from live eggs(Block 2000), according to embodiments of the present invention, willnow be described. A plurality of live eggs are positioned in a generallyhorizontal orientation such that the allantois of each egg is caused topool within an allantoic sac under an upper portion of each egg shell(Block 2100). The term “generally horizontal orientation” as used hereinmeans that an egg is positioned such that a long axis thereof isoriented at an angle between about ten degrees (10°) and aboutone-hundred eighty degrees (180°) from vertical, wherein zero degrees(0°) vertical is defined by a large end of the egg in a verticallyupward position. A probe (e.g., a needle, etc.) is inserted into eachegg through the shell of the egg and directly into the allantoic sacunder the upper portion of the egg shell (Block 2200). FIG. 8illustrates the pooling of the allantois 16 in an egg 1 under the upperside of the egg as a consequence of non-vertical orientation of the egg(e.g., the long axis A is oriented between about 10° and about 180°).

As is known to those of skill in the art, during the final stages ofincubation, the allantois normally exists as a relatively thin layerunder the inner shell membrane of an egg, and essentially surrounds theembryo therein. In later stage (third and fourth quarter) embryonatedeggs, the allantois can be a difficult target to insert a needle orprobe into with accuracy. According to embodiments of the presentinvention, eggs are oriented generally horizontally such that theallantois can be reliably targeted in ovo. By repositioning eggs to agenerally horizontal orientation, accessibility of the allantois isenhanced. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 6,176,199 to Gore et al., andU.S. Pat. No. 5,699,751 to Phelps et al., which are incorporated hereinby reference in their entireties.

As is understood by those of skill in the art, the size of the allantoisis related to the stage of embryonic development of the egg to beinjected; thus the depth of insertion needed to reach the allantois mayvary depending on the developmental stage of the egg as well as thespecies and strain of avian egg used. The depth of insertion should bedeep enough to place the sampling device within the allantois, but notso deep as to pierce the amnion or embryo. According to embodiments ofthe present invention, use of a blunt-tip needle may help minimizepiercing of the amnion or embryo.

The precise location and angle of insertion of a sampling device withinan egg is a matter of choice and could be in any area of an egg.Orientation of a sampling device will depend on the orientation of theegg, the equipment available to carry out the material extraction, aswell as the purpose of the material extraction.

Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to extractingmaterial from the allantois or from areas near the upper surface of anegg. Removal of material from the allantois as described herein isprovided as merely one example of possible embodiments of the presentinvention. Embodiments of the present invention are not limited only tothe extraction of allantoic fluid. Various materials (e.g., amnion,yolk, shell, albumen, tissue, membrane and/or blood, etc.) may beextracted from an egg and assayed to identify one or morecharacteristics, as described below. Moreover, it is not required thateggs be reoriented into a generally horizontal position prior toextracting material therefrom. Material may be extracted from eggshaving virtually any orientation.

Referring back to FIG. 7, a sample of allantoic fluid is withdrawn fromthe allantois of each egg (Block 2300). The eggs are then reoriented toa generally vertical position for easier handling (Block 2400) and aremoved to another location for subsequent processing (Block 2500).

Referring to FIG. 9, operations for assaying material extracted fromeach live egg to determine one or more characteristics of the egg, suchas gender (Block 3000), according to embodiments of the presentinvention, will now be described. Material, such as allantoic fluid, isextracted from each egg is dispensed into respective sample receptaclesin a template (Block 3100). A biosensor, which is configured tochemically react with egg material and produce detectable signals (e.g.,electromagnetic signals, luminescence signals, fluorescence signals,conductivity signals, colormetric signals, pH signals, etc.), isdispensed into the respective sample receptacles (Block 3200). A colorsubstrate (e.g., ONPG-based substrate) that is configured to change acolor of the material in response to a chemical reaction between the eggmaterial and the biosensor may be added to each respective receptacle(Block 3300).

The presence of a characteristic of an egg is then detected (Block3400). For example, a change in color may indicate that estrogeniccompounds are present in allantoic fluid within a respective samplereceptacle, thereby indicating the gender of a respective egg from whichthe allantoic fluid was sampled from. Operations represented by Block3400 are intended to include detection of electromagnetic signalsproduced within the sample receptacles which provide an indication ofthe presence of a characteristic of an egg. According to otherembodiments of the present invention, operations represented by Block3400 are intended to include detection of pathogens in egg material.

One or more additional analyses may be performed on the egg material inthe sample receptacles (Block 3500). For example, genetic analysis maybe performed on the material.

Referring to FIGS. 10A-10B, operations for selectively processing liveeggs based upon identified characteristics (Block 4000), according toembodiments of the present invention, will now be described. One or moresubstances may be injected in ovo based upon identified characteristicsof each egg (Block 4100). For example, a vaccine may be injected intoeggs according to gender of the eggs. Moreover, a first vaccine may beinjected into eggs identified as male, and a second vaccine may beinjected into eggs identified as female. In addition, the live eggs maybe sorted according to identified characteristics (Block 4200). Forexample, if the identified characteristic is gender, male eggs may besegregated from female eggs.

Sorting may occur before, after, or in lieu of in ovo injection or othertreatment or processing. As illustrated in FIG. 10B, the operations ofBlock 4100 and 4200 of FIG. 10A can be reversed. For example, eggs maybe sorted by gender first and then injected with one or more substancesbased on gender (e.g., males can be inoculated with a substance andfemales can be inoculated with a different substance and/or at differenttimes).

Referring now to FIG. 11, an egg processing system 10 for processingeggs, according to embodiments of the present invention, is illustrated.The illustrated system includes a classifier 12 that is configured toidentify live eggs from among a plurality of eggs 1 in an incoming eggflat 5. The classifier 12 is operatively connected to a controller 20which controls the classifier 12 and stores information about each egg 1(e.g., whether an egg is live, clear, dead, rotted, etc.). As describedabove, the classifier 12 may include a conventional candling system, aspectral candling system, a candling system that utilizes thecombination of light and thermal candling, or any otherapparatus/technique for identifying live eggs (and/or dead eggs, cleareggs, rotted eggs, etc.). An operator interface (e.g., a display) 22 ispreferably provided to allow an operator to interact with the controller20.

A material extraction station (also referred to as a sampling module)30, egg treatment station 40, and egg sorting station 50 are provideddownstream of the classifier 12 and are each operatively connected tothe controller 20. An assaying station 60 is also operatively connectedto the controller 20. The material extraction station 30 is configuredto extract material, such as allantoic fluid, from selected eggs.Material extracted from each egg is analyzed via the assaying station 60to identify one or more characteristics of each egg or for diagnostic orother purposes. For example, the gender of each egg may be identified byanalyzing material extracted from an egg. Alternatively, the presence ofpathogens may be detected, and/or various genetic analyses may beperformed on the extracted material.

The treatment station 40 is configured to treat selected eggs forexample, by inoculation with a treatment substance (e.g., vaccines,nutrients, etc.). The treatment station 40 may include at least onereservoir 42 for holding a treatment substance to be injected intoselected eggs. The controller 20 generates a selective treatment signalfor an egg (or a group of eggs) based upon characteristics of an egg (ora group of eggs) identified via the assaying station 60. For example,eggs identified as female may be injected with a particular vaccine viathe treatment station 40 upon receiving a treatment signal from thecontroller 20.

The sorting station 50 is configured to sort eggs based upon identifiedcharacteristics. The controller 20 generates a selective sorting signalfor an egg (or a group of eggs) based upon characteristics of an egg (ora group of eggs) identified via the assaying station 60. For example,eggs identified as male may be placed in a first hatching bin, and eggsidentified as female may be placed in a second hatching bin.

The assaying station 60 is configured to perform various tests onmaterial extracted from eggs in order to identify one or morecharacteristics (e.g., gender) of each egg. Various tests may beperformed via the assaying station 60. The present invention is notlimited only to identifying the gender of eggs.

The controller 20 preferably includes a processor or other suitableprogrammable or non-programmable circuitry including suitable software.The controller 20 may also include such other devices as appropriate tocontrol the material extraction station 30, egg treatment station 40,egg sorting station 50, and assaying station 60. Suitable devices,circuitry and software for implementing a controller 20 will be readilyapparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing andfollowing descriptions and the disclosures of U.S. Pat. No. 5,745,228 toHebrank et al. and U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,728 to Hebrank.

The operator interface 22 may be any suitable user interface device andpreferably includes a touch screen and/or keyboard. The operatorinterface 22 may allow a user to retrieve various information from thecontroller 20, to set various parameters and/or to program/reprogram thecontroller 20. The operator interface 22 may include other peripheraldevices, for example, a printer and a connection to a computer network.

According to alternative embodiments of the present invention, one ormore of the stations described with respect to FIG. 11 may be controlledby individual programmable logic controllers (PLCs). Data may betransferred back and forth from a PLC to a central computer databasecontroller for storage. For example, a central database may be providedto store information such as gender (as well as other identifiedcharacteristics) of eggs being processed. The central computer databasecontroller is configured to respond to individual PLCs when they requestdata or send data. The central computer database need not directlycontrol the various stations under the control of respective PLCs.

FIG. 12 is a top-level controls architecture illustration of anembodiment of the present invention within a hatchery wherein individualPLCs are utilized to control various hatchery stations, according toembodiments of the present invention. In the illustrated embodiment, aplurality of PLCs 70 a, 70 b, 70 c control a material extraction station30, an assaying station 60, and treatment and sorting stations 40, 50,respectively. Each PLC 70 a, 70 b, 70 c is connected to a server 72 viaa local area network (LAN). The server 72 is in communication with adatabase (which can be local, remote, or a combination thereof) andstores/retrieves data to/from the database in response to requests fromthe individual PLCs 70 a, 70 b, 70 c. The server 72 is capable ofcommunicating with remote devices via a communications network, such asthe Internet 90.

In the illustrated embodiment, the LAN is a wireless LAN and the PLCs 70a, 70 b, 70 c communicate with the server 72 via wireless LAN workgroupbridges 71 a, 71 b, 71 c. However, it is understood that any type of LANmay be utilized, including wired LAN's. For example, FIGS. 13A-13Dillustrate a wired LAN embodiment.

In the illustrated embodiment, PLC 70 a is configured to control amaterial extraction station 30 for extracting material from a pluralityof eggs as described above. PLC 70 a is also configured to control alive/dead detector subsystem 74 (e.g., a classifier 12, FIG. 11), an X-Ytable stepper controller 75 that controls the location of a sample trayfor receiving material extracted from eggs, an egg flat barcode reader77, and an assay sample tray barcode reader 78. According to embodimentsof the present invention, barcodes are utilized to track eggs within ahatchery. As such, barcodes are placed on egg flats and are read duringvarious times during processing within a hatchery. Other embodimentsinclude RFID (radio frequency identification) tags in lieu of barcodesand on-the-fly printed/applied identifiers either on the egg flats or onthe eggs themselves.

PLC 70 b is configured to control an assaying station 60 for identifyingone or more characteristics of each egg as described above. PLC 70 b isalso configured to control an assay reader subsystem 80 (e.g., a CCDcamera system that scans each sample receptacle in an assay template todetermine the gender of a respective egg whose sample material is in thereceptacle), an assay reader stepper controller 81, a substratedispenser stepper controller 82, a yeast dispenser stepper controller83, and an assay barcode reader 84. Moreover, PLC 70 b may be configuredto control an assaying station 60 that is directly connected to thematerial extraction station 30 or that is a stand-alone apparatus.

PLC 70 c is configured to control a treatment station 40 and a sortingstation 50 as described above. In addition, PLC 70 c controls an eggflat barcode reader 85 that identifies egg flats passing through thetreatment and sorting stations 40, 50.

FIGS. 13A-13D are more detailed illustrations of a top-level controlsarchitecture for an egg processing system according to embodiments ofthe present invention within a hatchery wherein individual PLCs areutilized to control a material extraction station (sampling module), anassaying module, and transfer module, respectively. The illustratedembodiment of FIGS. 13A-13D utilizes a wired LAN embodiment wherein asystem server (FIG. 13A) communicates with (and controls) a samplingmodule (FIG. 13B), an assay module (FIG. 13C), and a transfer module(FIG. 13D).

Material Extraction Station

Turning now to FIGS. 14-17, a material extraction station 30 forextracting material from a plurality of eggs, according to embodimentsof the present invention, is illustrated. The material extractionstation 30 includes a frame 100 with an incoming egg flat conveyorsystem 102 and an outgoing egg flat conveyor system 104 extending alongrespective, opposite sides 100 a, 100 b of the frame 100, as illustratedin FIG. 16. The material extraction station 30 also includes aclassifier 12 (FIG. 16) that is configured to identify live eggs fromamong a plurality of eggs, an egg cradle table 110 movably mounted tothe frame 100, an egg transfer apparatus 130, a sample tray handlingsystem 150, four sets of sampling apparatus 160, and a sanitizer system(not shown), for sanitizing sampling portions of the apparatus.

The incoming egg flat conveyor system 102 is configured to transportincoming flats 5 of eggs 1 through the classifier 12 and to the eggtransfer apparatus 130. As will be described below, according to anembodiment of the present invention, live eggs are removed from theincoming egg flats 5. Non-live eggs remain within the incoming egg flats5 and are carried away by the incoming egg flat conveyor system 102 fordisposal or other processing. The outgoing egg flat conveyor system 104,according to an embodiment of the present invention, is configured totransport flats 7 of eggs that have had material extracted therefrom toan incubator for incubation, and/or to subsequent treatment and/orsorting stations.

Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the removal oflive eggs only from an incoming egg flat 5. For example, all eggs may beremoved from an incoming egg flat 5 and placed within an array of eggcradles. Live eggs may be segregated from non-live eggs via the sortingstation 50 (FIG. 11). For example, only live eggs may be transferred tohatching baskets via the sorting station 50.

The incoming egg conveyor system 102 may utilize belts and/or otherconveyor system components that allow light to pass through a portionthereof to facilitate candling at the classifier 12. Egg flat conveyorsystems are well known to those skilled in the art and need not bedescribed further herein. Moreover, embodiments of the present inventionare not limited to the illustrated orientation, configuration, and/ortravel directions of the incoming and outgoing conveyor systems 102,104. Incoming and outgoing egg flats may travel in various directionsrelative to various apparatus of the present invention, and may havevarious configurations and orientations.

Although eggs conventionally are carried in egg flats, any means ofconveying a plurality of eggs to the classifier 12 for identifying liveeggs can be used. Eggs may pass one at a time through the classifier 12or the classifier 12 may be configured so that a number of eggs (i.e.,within a flat) can pass through the classifier 12 simultaneously.

Incoming and outgoing egg flats 5, 7 of virtually any type may be usedin accordance with embodiments of the present invention. Flats maycontain any number of rows, such as seven rows of eggs, with rows of sixand seven being most common. Moreover, eggs in adjacent rows may beparallel to one another, as in a “rectangular” flat, or may be in astaggered relationship, as in an “offset” flat. Examples of suitablecommercial flats include, but are not limited to, the “CHICKMASTER 54”flat, the “JAMESWAY 42” flat and the “JAMESWAY 84” flat (in each case,the number indicates the number of eggs carried by the flat). Egg flatsare well known to those skilled in the art and need not be describedfurther herein.

In addition, the egg array configuration of incoming egg flats 5 may bedifferent from that of outgoing egg flats 7. The egg transfer apparatus130 is configured to adjust to different egg array configurations ofdifferent egg flats, as described below.

The illustrated egg cradle table 110 includes first, second and thirdsets of cradles 112 arranged in adjacent respective first, second, andthird arrays 113 a, 113 b, and 113 c. The illustrated egg cradle table110 is slidably mounted to the frame 100 between the incoming andoutgoing conveyor systems 102, 104 and is movable relative to the eggtransfer apparatus 130 and each of the four illustrated samplingapparatus 160 along the direction indicated by arrows A₁. The egg cradletable 110 is configured to move such that when one cradle array (e.g.,113 a or 113 b or 113 c) is positioned beneath the egg transferapparatus 130, another cradle array (e.g., 113 a or 113 b or 113 c) ispositioned beneath one of the sampling apparatus 160, as will bedescribed in detail below.

Although illustrated with three cradle arrays 113 a, 113 b, 113 c andfour sampling apparatus 160, an apparatus for extracting material fromeggs according to embodiments of the present invention may have one ormore arrays of cradles 112 and one or more sampling apparatus 160. Forexample, an apparatus for extracting material from eggs according toembodiments of the present invention may have a single array of cradles112 and a single sampling apparatus 160.

Referring now to FIG. 15, lifting head 132 of the illustrated transferapparatus 130 and two of the sampling apparatus 160 of FIG. 14 onopposite sides of the transfer apparatus 130 are illustrated in enlargeddetail. The illustrated lifting head 132 includes an expandable andcollapsible array of manifold blocks and vacuum cups 137 that aresupported by a generally rectangular frame 138. The lifting head 132 isconfigured to lift a plurality of eggs from an array of cradles 112 andplace the eggs within outgoing egg flats 7.

The illustrated egg cradle table 110 includes a plurality of elongatedrods 118 that are simultaneously controlled by an actuator device 122which moves the elongated rods 118 between retracted and extendedpositions (indicated by arrow A₂) within respective cradles 112 toreposition eggs from horizontal to vertical positions, as will bedescribed below. Each sampling apparatus 160 includes an array ofsampling heads 162 that are configured to extract material from arespective egg positioned within an egg cradle 112. Each sampling headis configured for generally vertical movement (indicated by arrows A₃)relative to the egg cradle table 110, as will be described below.

FIG. 17 is a side elevation view of the material extraction apparatus ofFIG. 14 illustrating the two lifting heads 132, 134 of the egg transferapparatus 130. As illustrated, the lifting heads 132, 134 are configuredfor lateral movement (indicated by arrows A₄) between the incoming andoutgoing egg flat conveyor systems 102, 104 and the egg cradle table110.

FIGS. 18A-18D illustrate the progression of eggs through the materialextraction station 30. FIG. 18A illustrates the loading of incoming eggflats 5 which contain a plurality of eggs 1 onto the incoming egg flatconveyor system 102, and the loading of empty egg flats 7 onto theoutgoing egg flat conveyor system 104. FIG. 18A also illustrates anincoming egg flat 5 containing a plurality of eggs 1 positioned withinthe candling area (i.e., beneath the classifier 12 illustrated in FIG.16) of the material extraction apparatus 30.

FIG. 18B illustrates movement of an incoming egg flat 5 along theincoming egg flat conveyor system from the candling area to the pickerarea. In the picker area, egg transfer head 134 is configured to pick upa plurality of the eggs 1 from an egg flat 5 and place the eggs 1 withinan array of cradles 112 on the slidable egg cradle table 110. An emptyoutgoing egg flat 7 is positioned adjacent the array of cradles 112.

FIG. 18C illustrates a plurality of eggs 1 seated within the pluralityof egg cradles 112 after being transferred from an incoming egg flat 5.For ease of illustration, the eggs 1 are illustrated in a generallyvertical orientation within the egg cradles 112. However, as will bedescribed below, the eggs 1 are repositioned to a generally horizontalorientation by the egg cradles 112 prior to removing material from theeggs 1. The egg cradles 112 are also configured to reposition the eggsafter material has been removed therefrom to a generally verticalorientation prior to being transferred to an outgoing egg flat 7.

The eggs 1′ from which material has been extracted are transferred to anoutgoing egg flat 7. An outgoing flat 7 into which eggs just sampled maythereupon be placed in an incubator for incubation according toconventional procedures while awaiting results from the assaying station60 (FIG. 11). When assaying results are completed, and characteristicsof each egg identified (e.g., gender) the eggs may be moved from theincubator to one or more treatments stations 40 (FIG. 11) and/or to asorting station 50 (FIG. 11). According to embodiments of the presentinvention described below, an assaying station 60 may be connected tothe material extraction station 30 and may be configured to assaymaterial extracted from eggs quickly. As such, flats of eggs from whichmaterial has been extracted may be held in one or more accumulationmodules instead of being returned to incubators prior to beingtransported to a treatment/sorting station(s).

FIG. 18D illustrates movement of the egg cradle table 110 in thedirection indicated by arrow A₁ to a location where the array of eggcradles 112 containing eggs 1 is positioned beneath one of the samplingapparatus 160 (FIG. 14).

FIG. 19 illustrates a portion of an exemplary array of cradles 112 thatcan be included on the illustrated egg cradle table 110. Each cradle 112is configured to receive an egg in a generally vertical orientation andto cause the egg to move to a generally horizontal and centeredorientation.

An enlarged perspective view of a cradle 112 in the illustrated partialarray of FIG. 19 is illustrated in FIG. 20 and is representative of eachcradle in the partial array. The illustrated cradle 112 includes aninclined, arcuate surface 114 that defines a receptacle for receiving anegg. The illustrated arcuate surface 114 of the cradle 112 has aninclined upper portion 114 a, a lower portion (or floor) 114 b, andopposite side portions 115 a, 115 b.

The cradle arcuate surface 114 may have a generally concaveconfiguration between opposite side portions 115 a, 115 b. The generallyconcave configuration of the arcuate surface 114 helps maintain an eggin a generally centered position on the arcuate surface 114.

The arcuate surface upper portion 114 a is configured to receive an endof a vertically oriented egg and to cause the egg to slide to thearcuate surface lower portion 114 b such that the egg becomes positionedon the arcuate surface lower portion 114 b in a generally inclinedorientation.

Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the illustratedcradle 112 or to the illustrated configuration of the arcuate surface114. The arcuate surface 114 of the cradle 112 may be a substantiallysmooth, continuous arcuate surface. Alternatively, the arcuate surface114 may include a plurality of flat, adjacent surfaces arranged so as toform a generally arcuate configuration. In addition, the cradle arcuatesurface may have a generally flat configuration between opposite sideportions 115 a, 115 b.

Egg cradles that are configured to receive an egg in a generallyvertical orientation, to cause the egg to move to a generally horizontalorientation, and to reorient the egg to a generally vertical orientationfor removal are described in detail in co-assigned U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 09/835,990 entitled, Apparatus and Method forReorienting an Egg Between Vertical and Horizontal Orientations, whichis incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Each illustrated cradle 112 also includes a pair of elongated retainingarms 119 secured to the cradle 112 in spaced-apart relation along therespective arcuate surface side portions 115 a, 115 b, as illustrated.Each of the illustrated elongated arms 119 has a respective end 119 athat is secured to the cradle 112 via fasteners 120 and an opposite freeend 119 b. Fasteners 120 may be various known fastening devicesincluding, but not limited to, threaded fasteners (e.g., screws, bolts,etc.) and unthreaded fasteners (e.g., rivets, tapered studs, untaperedstuds, etc.). Alternatively, retaining arms 119 may be adhesivelysecured to a cradle 112, or secured to a cradle 112 via welding,brazing, soldering, or various other known methods.

The retaining arms 119 help to prevent an egg from rolling or fallingoff of a cradle arcuate surface 114. Moreover, the retaining arms 119help stabilize an egg that is being repositioned from a generallyhorizontal position to a generally vertical position, as describedbelow. The retaining arms 119 are configured to flex outwardly, asillustrated in FIG. 21, to accommodate large eggs, while at the sametime providing support for narrow eggs. In addition, the retaining arms119 help to center an egg laterally on the cradle arcuate surface 114 sothat the long axis of the egg is aligned with the long axis of thecradle while the egg is in a generally horizontal position.

Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the illustratedretaining arms 119. Retaining arms may have various configurations andmay be attached is to a cradle 112 in various locations andconfigurations. Moreover, embodiments of the present invention may notrequire retaining arms.

Each cradle 112 is secured to the cradle table 110 via fastening devicesincluding, but not limited to, threaded fasteners (e.g., screws, bolts,etc.) and unthreaded fasteners (e.g., rivets, tapered studs, untaperedstuds, etc.). Alternatively, each cradle 112 may be adhesively securedto the cradle table 110, or secured to the cradle table 110 via welding,brazing, soldering, or various other known methods. FIG. 22 illustratesthreaded passageways 121 in a cradle 112 that are configured tothreadingly engage respective threaded fastening members (not shown) forsecuring a cradle 112 to the cradle table 110 according to embodimentsof the present invention.

A plurality of passageways 116 extend through each cradle 112 andterminate at respective apertures 117 in the arcuate surface 114 asillustrated. An elongated rod 118, which serves as an orientationmember, is configured for reciprocal movement between a retractedposition and an extended position within each passageway 116. In anextended position, the elongated rods 118 for each cradle 112 urge anegg horizontally positioned (or otherwise inclined relative to vertical)on the arcuate surface lower portion 114 b to a vertical orientation sothat the egg can be removed from the cradle 112 via the egg transferapparatus 130.

Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the illustratedelongated rods 118 or to the orientation of the elongated rods 118 withrespect to each cradle 112. Orientation members may have variousconfigurations and may be positioned within a cradle 112 for reciprocalmovement between retracted and extended positions in various ways and invarious orientations.

As illustrated in FIG. 15, the elongated rods 118 are arranged in anarray and are simultaneously controlled by an actuator device 122 whichmoves the elongated rods 118 between retracted and extended positionswithin respective cradles 112. When the array of rods 118 are in aretracted position, eggs within the cradles 112 have a generallyhorizontal orientation as described above. When the rods 118 are movedto an extended position, the rods extend upwardly through the cradles asdescribed above and cause the eggs to move to a generally verticalorientation. The actuator 122 for moving the rods 118 between retractedand extended positions may be operated pneumatically, hydraulically,magnetically, and/or electromechanical actuators may be utilized.

FIGS. 23-26 illustrate an egg cradle 212 that may be utilized inaccordance with other embodiments of the present invention and that isconfigured to reposition an egg from a vertically oriented position to ahorizontal position and then back to a vertically oriented position,according to an alternative embodiment of the present invention. Theillustrated cradle 212 has first and second portions 220 a, 220 b thatdefine a receptacle for receiving an egg. The illustrated first portion220 a has a pair of opposite, spaced-apart members 222, 224 withinclined upper ends 222 a, 224 a. Each inclined upper end 222 a, 224 ahas an inwardly sloping surface 226, 228. The illustrated second portion220 b has a pair of opposite, spaced-apart members 232, 234 withinclined upper ends 232 a, 234 a. Each inclined upper end 232 a, 234 ahas an inwardly sloping surface 236, 238.

The inclined upper ends 232 a, 234 a of the second portion 220 b areconfigured to receive an end of a vertically oriented egg and to causethe egg to slide downwardly such that the egg becomes positioned on thefirst and second portions 220 a, 220 b in a generally inclinedorientation. The configuration of the inclined upper ends 222 a, 224 a,232 a, 234 a of the first and second portions 220 a, 220 b help maintainan egg in a generally centered position in the cradle 212.

The second portion 220 b serves as an orientation member and isconfigured for reciprocal movement between a retracted position (FIG.23) and an extended position (FIG. 24). In an extended position, thesecond portion 220 b urges an egg horizontally positioned (or otherwiseinclined relative to vertical) within the cradle 212 to a verticalorientation.

As illustrated in FIG. 17, the egg transfer apparatus 130 of thematerial extraction station 30 of FIG. 14 includes first and second,adjacent lifting heads 132, 134 which operate in tandem. The firstlifting head 134 is configured to simultaneously lift a plurality ofgenerally vertically oriented eggs 1 from an incoming egg flat 5 on theincoming egg flat conveyor system 102 and place the plurality of eggs 1within a first array of cradles 112. Eggs are typically positionedwithin an incoming egg flat with the large end of the egg facing in agenerally upward direction. The first lifting head 134 can be controlledto pick up selected eggs 1 from an incoming egg flat 5. For example, thefirst lifting head 134 can be directed to only pick up live eggs, asidentified by the classifier 12.

The adjacent second lifting head 132 is configured to simultaneouslylift and remove a plurality of eggs 1 from a plurality of cradles 112 onthe egg cradle table 110 and place the eggs 1 within an outgoing eggflat 7 on the outgoing egg flat conveyor system 104. The eggs 1 arereoriented to a generally vertical orientation to facilitate removalfrom the cradles 112. Eggs are typically placed within an outgoing eggflat 7 with the large end in a generally upward direction.

The illustrated egg cradle table 110 is slidably mounted to the frame100, and is and movable relative to the first and second lifting heads134, 132 such that the first, second, or third arrays 113 a, 113 b, 113c of egg cradles 112 can be positioned beneath the egg transfer device130 at any given time so that the lifting heads 132, 134 canplace/remove eggs within/from the cradles 112 as described above.

The slidable configuration of the egg cradle table 110 allows one arrayof cradles to receive eggs from one of the lifting heads 132, 134 whileanother array of cradles is positioned beneath a respective samplingapparatus 160 such that material can be extracted from the eggs, as willbe described below. The use of multiple arrays of egg cradles along withreciprocal motion of the egg cradle table facilitates processingthroughput.

Referring to FIGS. 27-29, each lifting head 132, 134 of the illustratedegg transfer apparatus 130 includes an expandable and collapsible arrayof manifold blocks 136 and vacuum cups 137 that are supported by agenerally rectangular frame 138. The illustrated frame 138 includesopposite side members 139 a, 139 b that extend along a first directionL₁ and opposite end members 140 a, 140 b that extend along a seconddirection L₂ that is substantially perpendicular to L₁.

Each manifold block 136 and vacuum cup 137 is supported from arespective cross rail 142 that extends between the side members 140 a,140 b, as illustrated. A middle one of the cross rails is fixed betweenthe side members 140 a, 140 b. The cross rails 142 on either side of thefixed middle cross rail are slidably supported by the frame 138 and areconfigured to move along the second direction L₂. Adjacent cross rails142 are connected via a pair of restraining members 143.

Actuator members 144 a, 144 b are connected to rails 142 as illustratedand are used to collapse and expand the array of manifold blocks 136 andvacuum cups 137 along the second direction L₂. Each of the actuatormembers 144 a, 144 b are controlled by an actuator device 145 which isin communication with a controller (e.g., PLC 70 a of FIG. 12). Theactuator 145 may be operated pneumatically, hydraulically, magnetically,and/or electromechanical actuators may be utilized.

FIG. 27 illustrates the array of manifold blocks 136 and vacuum cups 137in an expanded configuration and FIG. 28 illustrates the array ofmanifold blocks 136 and vacuum cups 137 in a contracted configuration.In FIG. 28, the restraining members 143 are not shown for clarity. Theexpandable and contractible nature of the array of manifold blocks 136and vacuum cups 137 for each lifting head 132, 134 allows a plurality(or “clutch”) of eggs to be lifted from, and inserted into, egg flat andegg cradle arrays of different sizes and configurations.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the array of manifoldblocks 136 and vacuum cups 137 may be expandable and contractible in twodirections. For example, a particular style of incoming egg flat mayallow one inch (1″) between adjacent eggs on a row, and one inch (1″)between adjacent rows. An array of egg cradles 112 in the egg cradletable 110 may have a different configuration. For example, an array ofegg cradles may allow only one-half inch (0.5″) between adjacent eggs ona row, and one and one-half inches (1.5″) between adjacent rows.Similarly, an outgoing egg flat may have a different array configurationfrom an egg cradle array configuration. An array that is expandable andcontractible in two directions can accommodate such differences in eggflat and cradle arrays.

The array configuration of each lifting head 132, 134 is adjustable viaa controller, such as a central controller (PLC) or a dedicatedcontroller (PLC) (e.g., PLC 70 a of FIG. 12) so that eggs can betransferred among egg flats and cradles having different sizes and/orarray configurations. Each lifting head 132, 134 is also preferablyeasily removable as a unit to facilitate cleaning.

Referring now to FIG. 30, each manifold block 136 includes an endportion 136 a and an internal passageway 144 that terminates at a nozzle149 extending from the end portion 136 a. The internal passageway 144 ofeach manifold block 136 is in fluid communication with a vacuum source(not shown) and an air source via respective vacuum and air linesconnected to respective fittings on top of each manifold block 136, aswould be understood to those skilled in the art. Preferably, eachmanifold block 136 and vacuum cup 137 is in fluid communication with aseparate vacuum supply to allow for selective transfer of eggs.

A flexible vacuum cup 137 is secured to each respective manifold blocknozzle 149. Each flexible vacuum cup 137 is configured to engage andretain an egg in seated relation therewith when vacuum is providedwithin the flexible cup 137 via a respective internal passageway 144 andto release a respective egg when vacuum within the respective internalpassageway 144 is destroyed. Air from an air source may be providedwithin the internal passageway 144 to facilitate removal of eggs fromthe flexible vacuum cup 137.

Lifting heads 132, 134 of the egg transfer apparatus 130 may utilizevarious suction-type lifting devices. Moreover, any suitable means fortransferring eggs from a flat to an array of egg cradles, and from thearray of egg cradles to a flat, may be utilized in accordance withembodiments of the present invention.

Each sampling apparatus 160 of the material extraction apparatus 30 ofFIG. 14 includes an array or set 161 of sample heads 162. Each samplehead 162 is configured to extract material from an egg and deposit theextracted material within a respective sample receptacle 152 in a sampletray 150 (FIG. 40). Each sampling apparatus 160 in the illustratedembodiment of FIG. 14 are fixed and the cradle table 110 moves relativethereto as described above. Accordingly, when a set of cradles 112containing eggs 1 is positioned beneath a sampling apparatus 160, eachsample head 162 is configured to extract material from a respective egg1 and then deposit the extracted material into a respective samplereceptacle 152 of a sample tray 150.

Referring to FIG. 31, each sample head 162 according to the illustratedembodiment, includes an elongated housing 163 having opposite first andsecond ends 163 a, 163 b and an elongated passageway (guide) 164 thatextends therebetween. An elongated needle 16S is disposed within theelongated passageway 164 and is movable between a retracted position andfirst and second extended positions. The tip 166 of the needle 165 iscontained within the passageway 164 when the needle 165 is in therefracted position, and the tip 166 of the needle 165 extends from thehousing first end 163 a when the needle 165 is in the first and secondextended positions. The needle 165, when in the first extended position,is configured to punch through the shell of an egg and extract material(e.g., allantoic fluid) from the egg. The needle 165, when in the secondextended position, is configured to deliver extracted egg material intoa respective sample receptacle of a sample tray, as will be describedbelow.

The needle 165 may be a hypodermic needle having an eggshell piercingtip configuration. According to embodiments of the present invention, aneedle tip 166 may have a beveled or blunt configuration to facilitatepunching through an egg shell. According to embodiments of the presentinvention, a needle 165 may have an aperture formed in a side portionthereof in lieu of the tip 166 to help prevent blockage of the needlelumen caused by punching through an egg shell. Sampling head needles 165according to embodiments of the present invention are particularlyadapted to withdraw allantoic fluid from eggs.

As is known to those skilled in the art, allantoic fluid is an excretorymedium for the nitrogenous metabolites of an avian embryo. Allantoicfluid begins to form around Day 5 of incubation. It attains a maximumvolume on about Day 13 of incubation and then wanes in volume asincubation continues dues to moisture loss and fluid resorbtion, but isstill present in significant volumes on Day 18 of incubation.

Allantoic fluid is separated from the eggshell by the inner and outershell membranes and the chorioallantoic membranes. Although theallantoic fluid encompasses the entire periphery of an embryonated egg,the allantoic fluid accumulates at the top of an egg directly underneaththe membranes overlying the air cell. The accumulation of the allantoicfluid at the top of the egg is due to gravity and displacement by thedense embryo and yolk sac. Attempting to accurately sample the allantoicfluid through the top of an egg while the egg is upright may bedifficult due to the variability of the air space from egg to egg.Gravity can be used to pool the allantoic fluid in a localized site.When an egg is turned on its longitudinal axis, the allantoic fluid willpool at the top side of the egg, directly underneath the shell. Layingthe egg on its longitudinal axis renders the allantoic fluid an easiertarget to access.

The extraction of material, such as allantoic fluid, from eggs may beperformed in various ways according to embodiments of the presentinvention. For example, if only live eggs are initially placed withinthe cradles 112 of the egg cradle table 110, all eggs will be sampled.However, if non-live eggs are also placed within the cradles 112 of theegg cradle table 110, only the live eggs will be sampled. Alternatively,the shell of all eggs, including non-live eggs, may be punched, butmaterial only sampled from live eggs. According to alternativeembodiments, each sample head 162 may comprise a biosensor or otherdevice designed to analyze egg material (e.g., allantoic fluid) in situ.As will be described below, according to other embodiments of thepresent invention, egg material extraction and assaying of extractedmaterial may be performed by the same sampling apparatus.

Each sample head 162 of the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 31 alsoincludes an alignment member 168. The illustrated alignment member 168includes a body portion 169 that is movably secured to the sample headhousing first end 163 a. Two pair of opposed wheels 170 a, 170 b aremounted to opposite end portions 171 a, 171 b of the body portion 169.

As illustrated in FIG. 32, an egg 1 is held in position within a cradle112 by the alignment member 168 when a sample head 162 is brought intocontact with an egg within a cradle 112. The alignment member 168adjusts the egg position and centers it within the cradle 112. In theillustrated embodiment, opposing wheels 170 a, 170 b are in contact withthe egg shell along with the sample head housing first end 163 a.

Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the illustratedconfiguration of the sample head of FIG. 31. For example, a sample headmay have an alignment member without the pair of opposed wheels 170 a,170 b. Moreover, embodiments of the present invention may utilizealignment members having various shapes, sizes and configurations.

Sample head operations are illustrated in FIGS. 33-35. FIG. 33 is a sideview of a plurality of sample heads 162 for one of the four illustratedsampling apparatus 160 in FIG. 14. Each sample head is in contact withthe shell of an egg 1 within a respective egg cradle 112 prior toextracting material from the egg 1, and a sample needle 165 within eachsample head is in a retracted position. In addition, an actuator 180 isillustrated moving arm 182 via actuator piston 181 from a first positionto a second position, as indicated by arrow A₅. Arm 182 is linked tosampling head locking plates 185 that are movably sandwiched betweenstationary plates 186 and 187. As will be described below, lockingplates 185 are configured to maintain each sample head 162 in avertically-locked position relative to a respective egg 1 within acradle 112 as material is extracted from the egg 1.

In FIG. 34, arm 182 has moved to the second position such that thelocking plates 185 are spread apart to the locked position so as torestrain vertical movement of the sample heads 162. The sample needles165 have been extended to a first extended position and have pierced theshell of each respective egg. In the first position the sample needles165 are in position to extract material (e.g., allantoic fluid) fromeach respective egg.

In FIG. 35, the arm 182 has moved back to the first position such thatthe locking plates 185 do not restrain vertical movement of the sampleheads 162. The sample needles 165 have been extended to a secondextended position and are in position to dispense material extractedfrom respective eggs into respective sample receptacles 152 in a sampletemplate 150. The second extended position provides adequate clearancebeyond the sample head 162 and/or alignment member 168 so that theneedles 165 can reach the sample receptacles 152 in a sample tray 150and so that the needles 165 can reach sanitation nozzles or otherapparatus that deliver sanitizing fluid to the needles 165.

Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to sample headswherein needles have first and second extended positions. According toalternative embodiments, a needle may move from a retracted position toonly one extended position for extracting material from eggs. Fordispensing extracted material into a sample receptacle, a sample traymay be moved upwardly to the needle. Similarly, a sanitizing nozzle orother apparatus may move upwardly to the needle.

Movement of a sample needle 165 within a sample head 162 is illustratedin greater detail in FIGS. 36A-36C. Each sample head 162 includes abiasing member (e.g., a spring) 190, as illustrated in FIG. 36A.Movement of each sample needle 165 from a retracted position to both thefirst and second extended positions is facilitated by air pressure (orother fluid pressure) that is provided from a compressed air source (orother fluid source). To move the sample needle 165 from the retractedposition to the first extended position (FIG. 363), air (or other fluid)pressure is supplied at a level sufficient (e.g., 28 psi) to overcomethe biasing force of air in the lower half of the sample head 162, butnot sufficient to overcome the combined biasing forces of air in thelower half of the sample head and the biasing member 190. To move thesample needle 165 from the retracted position to the second extendedposition (FIG. 36C), air (or other fluid) pressure is supplied via oneor more fittings (not shown) on the sample head 162 at a levelsufficient (e.g., 75 psi) to overcome the combined biasing forces of theair in the lower half of the sample head and the biasing member 190.

In the illustrated embodiment, the biasing member 190 is configured tourge the sample needle 165 from the second extended position to thefirst extended position when air pressure within the lower half of thesample head 162 is reduced. Air pressure is increased in the lower halfof the sample head 162 to move the sample needle 165 to the retractedposition. The biasing member 190 may have various shapes, configurationsand/or sizes and is not limited to a particular embodiment.

In the illustrated embodiment, air is supplied via nozzle 192 to eachsample head 162 to dry outside portions of each respective sample needle165 after sanitizing each respective sample needle 165.

Referring to FIG. 36D, an exemplary sanitizing fountain 200 that may beutilized to sterilize a respective sample needle 165, in accordance withembodiments of the present invention, is illustrated. The illustratedfountain 200 has a bore 201 formed therein that is configured to receivea respective sample needle 165 therein. Sanitizing fluid is supplied tothe fountain from a source via a supply line 202. The fountain 200contains one or more nozzles (not shown) that are configured to spraythe sample needle 165 with sanitizing fluid. According to embodiments ofthe present invention, an array of fountains 200 are provided such thatsample needles 165 from a respective array of sample heads 162 can belowered into respective fountains 200 at the same time after dispensingextracted egg material into sample receptacles of a sample tray.Embodiments of the present invention, however, are not limited to theillustrated sanitizing fountain 200. Sanitizing systems utilizingvarious types of devices for applying sanitizing fluid to a sampleneedle may be utilized.

Referring now to FIGS. 37, 38A-38B and 39A-39C, the locking plates 185will now be described. FIG. 37 is a plan view of an array of sampleheads 162 taken along lines 37-37 of FIG. 33 that illustrates thelocking plates 185. The illustrated locking plates 185 include aplurality of apertures 300 formed therein in the array pattern of thearray of sample heads 162. Each sample head 162 is configured to beslidably disposed within a respective aperture 300 and is configured tomove freely in a vertical direction when the locking plates 185 are notin the locked position.

Within each illustrated aperture are a pair of resilient arms 302 thatare configured to apply a biasing force to a respective sampling head162 when the locking plates 185 are moved to the locked position. Theresilient arms 302 are configured to prevent one sampling head that isslightly larger than other sampling heads from binding the wholeapparatus and preventing other sampling heads from being locked inplace. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 38A, the locking plates 185move away from each other when moved to the locked position. However,embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the illustratedlocking plates 185 or to their direction of movement.

FIG. 383 illustrates locking plates 185′ according to other embodimentsof the present invention. The illustrated locking plates 185′ include aplurality of apertures 300 formed therein the array pattern of the arrayof sample heads 162. Each sample head 162 is configured to be slidablydisposed within a respective aperture 300 and is configured to movefreely in a vertical direction when the locking plates 185′ are not inthe locked position. In the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 383, thelocking plates 185′ also move away from each other when moved to thelocked position.

Within each illustrated aperture are a pair of resilient arms 302′, asupport block 303, and springs 304 connected to the resilient arms 302′that are configured to apply a biasing force to the support block 303.When the locking plates 185′ are moved relative to the fixed upper andlower plates, the resilient arms 302′ engage a respective sampling headand the springs 304 apply a biasing force to the block 303 whichrestrains the sampling head from vertical movement. As with theembodiment of FIG. 38A, the resilient arms 302′ are configured toprevent one sampling head that is slightly larger than other samplingheads from binding the whole apparatus and preventing other samplingheads from being locked in place.

Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the illustratedlocking plates 185 of FIGS. 38A-38B. Locking plates having differentconfigurations may be utilized as well. In addition, other ways ofrestraining sampling head movement may be utilized (e.g., see U.S. Pat.No. 5,136,979 to Paul et al., which is incorporated herein by referencein its entirety).

Movement of the locking plates 185 are illustrated in FIGS. 39A-39C. InFIG. 39A, a locking plate 185 is in an unlocked position and thesampling head 162 is free to move vertically within the aperture 300 ofthe locking plate 185 and the respective apertures 186 a, 187 a in theupper and lower stationary plates 186, 187, as illustrated. In FIG. 39B,the locking plate is being moved to the locked position (indicated byarrows A₆ such that the locking plate 185 pushes the sampling head 162towards the upper and lower stationary plates 186, 187. In FIG. 39C, thesampling head 162 is wedged against the stationary upper and lowerplates 186, 187 by the locking plate 185 such that vertical movement ofthe sampling head 162 is restrained.

Referring now to FIG. 40, an exemplary sample tray 151 containing aplurality of sample receptacles 152 formed therein in various arrays isillustrated. Each sample receptacle 152 is configured to receive asample of material extracted from a respective egg, such as allantoicfluid. Sample trays having various configurations and arrays of samplereceptacles may be utilized in accordance with embodiments of thepresent invention. Sample trays may be formed from various materials andvia various techniques. The present invention is not limited to theillustrated sample tray 150.

FIG. 41 is an enlarged partial plan view of the sample tray of FIG. 40illustrating material extracted from eggs dispensed within respectivesample receptacles of the sample tray. Material extracted from eggs maybe disposed within respective sample receptacles 152 of a sample tray150 according to various dispensing patterns. For example, asillustrated in FIG. 41, material from eggs from a particular flat can bedisposed within the first receptacle 152 a in the first row of agrouping of receptacles. Material from eggs in a subsequent flat can bedisposed in the second receptacle 152 b in the first row, etc.Dispensing patterns are preferably controlled via a controller (e.g.,PLC 70 a of FIG. 12).

FIGS. 42A-42B are top plan views of the sample tray handling system 150according to embodiments of the present invention and illustratingsample trays 151 being moved (indicated by arrows A₇) relative to (i.e.,beneath) a sampling apparatus 160 of FIG. 14. Because each samplingapparatus 160 of the illustrated material extraction apparatus of FIG.14 is fixed, the sample tray handling system 150 is configured to movesample receptacles 152 beneath respective sampling heads 162 such thatmaterial extracted from eggs can be dispensed within appropriate samplereceptacles. Once the sample receptacles 152 of a sample tray 151 havereceived extracted egg material, the sample trays 151 are offloaded(either manually or automatically) and the extracted egg material isallowed to dry. Once a sample tray 151 is offloaded, the sample trayhandling system 150 moves back to receive a new sample tray 151 loadedby an operator.

Although not illustrated, a sanitizer system is preferably provided withthe illustrated material extraction apparatus 30 of FIG. 14. Forexample, a sanitizer system may be operably associated with the samplingheads 162 of each sampling apparatus 160 and configured to pumpsanitizing fluid through and around the outside of the sample heads 162,including the elongated needles 165 and needle passageways 164. Forexample, see the illustrated fountain 200 of FIG. 36D which isconfigured to apply sanitizing fluid to a sample needle 165. Sanitizingfluid is preferably applied to each portion of a sample head 162 thatcomes into contact with an egg after depositing material extracted froman egg into a respective sample receptacle 152 in the sample tray 150.Preferably, means for drying each sample head 162, needle 165, andpassageway 164 are provided after sanitizing fluid has been appliedthereto. For example, a system for directing air at each sample head162, needle 165, and passageway 164 may be provided. In the illustratedembodiment of FIGS. 36A-36C, drying air is provided via nozzle 192.

Exemplary sanitizing fluid systems for providing sanitizing fluid andwhich may be utilized in accordance with embodiments of the presentinvention are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,176,101, and RE 35,973,which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the illustratedmaterial extraction apparatus of FIG. 14, or to the exact processdescribed above. Each of the components (egg transfer apparatus 130, eggcradle table 110, sampling apparatus 160, egg flat conveyor systems 102,104) may operate in various ways as long as material extracted from anegg can be identified as coming from that particular egg.

Assaying Station

Referring now to FIGS. 43-46, an assaying station 60 and methods ofusing the assaying station 60 to determine characteristics of eggs,according to embodiments of the present invention, will now bedescribed. The illustrated assaying station 60 is configured to processa plurality of sample trays containing material extracted from eggs asdescribed above in order to determine one or more characteristics of theeggs.

Referring initially to FIGS. 43-44, a holding area 410 is configured toreceive and hold a plurality of sample trays containing materialextracted from a plurality of eggs for a predetermined period of time.Each sample tray is then transferred from the holding area 410 into thebiosensor (e.g., yeast) application 11 area 420 where a biosensor isadded to the sample receptacles in each sample tray. Each sample traythen passes into the color application area 430 where a color substrate(e.g., OPNG substrate) is added to the sample receptacles in each sampletray. Broadly speaking, a biosensor and a color substrate are added tothe dried material (e.g., allantoic fluid) extracted from an egg tocause a chemical reaction that can change the color of the driedmaterial based upon a characteristic (e.g., gender) of an egg. After apredetermined period of time, each sample tray is transferred 440 to the“read” area 450 and the color of the material in each sample receptacleis analyzed to determine the characteristic. For example, if thecharacteristic to be determined is gender, the material extracted from afemale egg may have a color that is easily distinguishable from that ofa male egg. Before a sample tray is disposed of, it is preferable todestroy the biosensor via the decontamination area 460.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the assaying station60 is particularly adaptable to determine gender of eggs. An operatorloads a plurality of sample templates containing material (e.g.,allantoic fluid) extracted from eggs into the assaying station 60.Within the assaying module 60, each sample template is moved via aconveyor system beneath a dispensing head which dispenses apredetermined amount (e.g., about 75.mu.l) of reagent (e.g., aLiveSensors™ brand cell-based biosensor, LifeSensors, Inc., Malvern,Pa.) into each respective sample receptacle. Each sample template thenprogresses through an environmentally-controlled chamber for apredetermined period of time (e.g., about 3.5 hours). Each sampletemplate is moved via a conveyor system beneath another dispensing headwhich dispenses a predetermined amount of a color substrate (e.g.,ONPG-based substrate) into each sample receptacle. Each sample templatethen progresses through an environmentally-controlled chamber for apredetermined period of time (e.g., about 45 minutes) to allow colordevelopment within each well.

The LiveSensors™ brand cell-based biosensor is utilized to detectestrogenic compounds in allantoic fluid. An exemplary LiveSensors™ brandcell-based biosensor is a genetically modified yeast transformed withyeast expression vector for the human estrogen receptor, the reportergene that contains promoter with estrogen response elements coupled withE. coli β-galactosidase. In the presence of estrogens, the estrogenreceptor binds to the estrogen response elements and initiatestranscription of the reporter gene. The concentration of estrogens inthe allantoic fluid is correlative with the level of induction of thereporter gene. The activity of the reporter gene product,B-galactosidase, is measured using an ONPG-based substrate, which yieldsa yellow calorimetric signal. LiveSensors™ brand cell-based biosensorcan detect femtomolar levels of estrogens. The strain of yeast of theLiveSensors™ brand cell-based biosensor is comprised of the same straincommonly used in the baking industry, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. TheLiveSensors™ brand cell-based biosensor can distinguish between male andfemale embryos using only about four microliters (4 μl) of allantoicfluid.

Specifically, the extracted allantoic fluid contains estradiolconjugates which are cleaved by an enzyme (glucuronidase) secreted bythe yeast during an initial allantoic fluid/yeast sensor incubation. Thepresence of “free” estradiol readily induces the reporter gene systemwithin the yeast to produce Beta-galactosidase. The Beta-galactosidasethen reacts with an ONPG-based substrate, added after the allantoicfluid/yeast sensor incubation, to generate a color signal.

According to alternative embodiments of the present invention, the yeastmay be induced to secrete GFP instead of Beta-Gal, which is fluorescentby itself and doesn't require the addition of a calorimetric substrate.

The color of the material in each sample receptacle can be determined invarious ways. One technique may include illuminating the extractedmaterial with a white light and using a CCD (charge coupled device)camera that scans each sample receptacle and electronically filters outall color signals but the specific color signal (e.g., yellow, pink,etc.) that identifies a gender (e.g., females). Preferably, each sampletray is transparent and the extracted material within each sample trayis illuminated from below. A CCD camera may be configured to count thenumber of pixels of a color in a respective sample receptacle todetermine if the pixel number exceeds a certain threshold. If so, theCCD camera can output a digital signal signifying a female at thatlocation. This information is stored via a data processor on thenetwork.

FIG. 45 depicts an assay conducted with a LiveSensors™ brand cell-basedbiosensor for various amounts of allantoic fluid (i.e., 4, 10, 20.mu.l).The intensity of the color (e.g., yellow) as measured in pixels by a CCDcamera is indicated under each sample receptacle. As illustrated,females have a greater yellow color intensity than males.

According to embodiments of the present invention, the reagent (e.g., aLiveSensors™ brand cell-based biosensor) within each well is thendestroyed (e.g., via heat and/or via chemical treatment) in thedecontamination area 460 prior to disposal of each sample template.

According to embodiments of the present invention utilizing aLiveSensors™ brand cell-based biosensor, a sample of material such asallantoic fluid withdrawn from an egg may contain upwards of abouttwenty percent (20%) blood contamination. Moreover, the incubationtemperature may fluctuate by about five degrees Centigrade (±5° C.), andsample incubation times can fluctuate by thirty minutes or more. Inaddition, samples withdrawn from eggs can be held for certain periods oftime (e.g., over night) prior to initiating assaying proceduresaccording to embodiments of the present invention.

Another technique may involve illuminating the extracted material with awhite light and utilizing an array of photodiodes with color filters.Each photodiode will output a signal based on the intensity of the colorit sees.

Embodiments of the present invention are not limited to the yeast-basedassaying techniques. Moreover, embodiments of the present invention arenot limited to identifying gender of eggs. Various assaying techniquesmay be utilized for analyzing material extracted from eggs to identifyvarious characteristics (e.g., gender, pathogen content, genetic markersrelated to bird health or performance) of eggs. For example,antibody-based systems and methods (e.g., commercial pregnancy testingsystems and methods) may be utilized to detect estrogen in egg material.Moreover, antibody-based systems may be utilized to detect pathogens(e.g., salmonella and Marek's disease). As another example, PCR (polymerchain reaction) analysis may be utilized to detect the presence/absenceof W chromosomes in egg material. Moreover, PCR analysis may be utilizedto detect various genetic traits/flaws in egg material. Accordingly,assaying modules may be provided that facilitate pathogen detection andgenetic analysis of avian eggs.

Referring now to FIG. 46, an assaying station apparatus 60, according toembodiments of the present invention, that is configured to assaymaterial extracted from eggs contained within sample receptacles in aplurality of sample trays 151 is illustrated. The illustrated apparatus60 includes a plurality of chambers or areas that are connected viaconveyor systems that are configured to transport sample trayssequentially through the areas. Preferably, the areas are maintained atpredetermined temperature and humidity levels. Additional environmentalcontrols may be utilized as well. For example, air can be exhausted fromthe apparatus 60 via fan 416 at a designated flow rate, and may befiltered via a HEPA (“high efficiency particulate arresting”) filtrationsystem.

As illustrated in FIG. 46, a plurality of sample trays 151 are loadedfrom a cart 405 into the holding area 410. The holding area 410 includesa first endless conveyor system 411 that is configured to transport aplurality of sample trays in spaced-apart relationship upwardly to thebiosensor application area 420 within a predetermined period of time. Atthe top of the holding area, each uppermost sample tray on the firstendless conveyor system is pulled into the biosensor application area420 and beneath dispensers (not shown) configured to dispense abiosensor (e.g., yeast) into the respective sample receptacles of thesample tray.

After a biosensor has been dispensed into the sample receptacles of asample tray, the sample tray is conveyed by a second endless conveyorsystem 412 downwardly towards a color substrate application area 430. Atthe bottom of the second endless conveyor system 412, each lowermostsample tray is pulled into the color substrate application area 430 andbeneath dispensers (not shown) that are configured to dispense a colorsubstrate (e.g., ONPG-based substrate) into the respective samplereceptacles of the sample tray.

After a color substrate has been dispensed into the sample receptaclesof a sample tray, the sample tray is conveyed by a third endlessconveyor system 413 downwardly towards a reading area 450. At the bottomof the third endless conveyor system 413, each lowermost sample tray ispulled into the reading area 450 and beneath one or more CCD cameras 415that are configured to “read” the color of extracted material in eachsample receptacle as described above. The biosensor in each samplereceptacle is then destroyed by dispensing a chemical thereinto viadispensing head 417.

Treatment Station

The treatment station 40 of the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 11 may beconfigured to selectively treat eggs in any desired, suitable manner. Itis particularly contemplated that the treatment station 40 inject liveeggs with a treatment substance.

As used herein, the term “treatment substance” refers to a substancethat is injected into an egg to achieve a desired result. Treatmentsubstances include but are not limited to vaccines, antibiotics,vitamins, virus, and immunomodulatory substances. Vaccines designed forin ovo use to combat outbreaks of avian diseases in hatched birds arecommercially available. Typically, the treatment substance is dispersedin a fluid medium, (e.g., is a fluid or emulsion) or is a soliddissolved in a fluid, or a particulate dispersed or suspended in afluid.

A preferred treatment station 40 for use in accordance with embodimentsof the present invention is the INOVOJECT® automated injection system(Embrex, Inc., Research Triangle Park, N.C.). However, any in ovoinjection device capable of being operably connected, as describedherein, to a controller is suitable for use according to embodiments ofthe present invention. Suitable injection devices preferably aredesigned to operate in conjunction with commercial egg carrier devicesor flats, examples of which are described above.

Sorting Followed by Treatment

Referring to FIGS. 47-51, sorting and transferring of eggs 1′ prior totreatment, according to embodiments of the present invention, areillustrated. Referring initially to FIG. 47, a sorting station 500includes an endless conveyor system 502 and a pair of transfer heads504, 506 operably associated therewith. Eggs with identifiedcharacteristics (e.g., gender) are placed on the conveyor system 502 atone end 502 a thereof in flats or other holding containers and are movedalong the conveyor system in the direction indicated by arrow A₈.Transfer head 504 includes an array of vacuum cups 137 as describedabove with respect to FIGS. 27-29 that are configured to simultaneouslylift a plurality of eggs from the conveyor system 502 and place the eggson a first conveyor belt 508 (FIG. 48). Transfer head 506 includes anarray of vacuum cups 137 that are configured to simultaneously lift aplurality of eggs from the conveyor system 502 and place the eggs on asecond conveyor belt 510 (FIG. 48).

Each transfer head 504, 506 may be configured to selectively lift eggsfrom the conveyor system 502 based upon characteristics of the eggs(e.g., gender). For example, transfer head 504 may be configured to onlylift male eggs, while transfer head 506 is configured to only liftfemale eggs. Transfer heads 504, 506 and conveyor system 502 arepreferably under computer control (e.g., PLC 70 c of FIG. 12).

As illustrated in FIG. 48, the transfer heads 504, 506 are configured tomove in the direction indicated by arrows A such that eggs can be placedon respective conveyor belts 508, 510. The direction of travel ofconveyor belts 508, 510 is also indicated by arrows A₉.

Referring now to FIG. 49, each conveyor belt 508, 510 is operablyassociated with a respective backfill apparatus 520. Each backfillapparatus 520 is configured to orient and hold eggs in a predeterminedposition for processing (e.g., injection, etc.). Each illustratedbackfill apparatus 520 includes an endless conveyor 522 which has aplurality of parallel rollers 524 which are rotatably connected at theirends with a drive mechanism (e.g., chains, etc.). The rollers 524 movein the direction indicated by arrows A₉ while also rotating in theclockwise direction as viewed from FIG. 51. Under the effect of themovement and rotation of the rollers 524, eggs 1′ travel along thedirection indicated by arrow A₉ (with their narrow ends generallyperpendicular to the direction of travel indicated by arrow A₉) and arefed into respective channels 528 and then into respective receiving cups530 with their narrow ends pointing downwards, as illustrated in FIG.51. The receiving cups 530 are mounted on an endless conveyor system 540that moves the cups in the direction indicated by arrows A₉. Anexemplary backfill apparatus 520 is described in U.S. Pat. No.3,592,327, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

Each receiving cup 530 transports a respective egg 1′ to a treatmentstation 40, such as the INOVOJECT® automated injection system. Forexample, in the illustrated embodiment of FIG. 49, eggs 1′ withinrespective receiving cups 530 are transported through respectivetreatment and transfer stations 40, 50. Each treatment station 40contains a set of injection delivery devices that are configured toinject a substance into eggs 1′. A transfer station 50 is provideddownstream of each treatment station 40 and is configured to transfereggs 1′ into respective baskets (not shown).

Backfill apparatus according to embodiments of the present invention mayhave various configurations, and are not limited to the illustratedembodiments. Backfill apparatus may include different numbers ofchannels and may include receiving cups of varying sizes and/orconfigurations. Moreover, various types of rollers and conveyor systemsmay be utilized without limitation.

Treatment Followed by Sorting

Referring to FIG. 52, treatment and sorting/transfer stations 40, 50according to other embodiments of the present invention are illustrated.As a flat 7 of post-sampled eggs 1′ is conveyed through the treatmentstation 40, the controller 20 (FIG. 11) selectively generates aninjection signal to the treatment station 40 to inject those eggs 1′which have been identified as having a particular characteristic.

As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, generation of aselective injection signal may be achieved by various approaches,including generating a signal that causes the injection of selectedeggs, or generating a signal that prevents the injection of non-selectedeggs.

In the illustrated embodiment, a pair of injection stations 41, 42, suchas the INOVOJECT® automated injection system, are employed. The firstinjection station 41 contains a first set of injection delivery devicesthat are configured to inject a substance into eggs 1′ identified ashaving a first characteristic. The second injection station 42 containsa first set of injection delivery devices that are configured to injecta substance into eggs 1′ identified as having a second characteristic.For example, if gender is the identified characteristic, the firstinjection station 41 can inject a vaccine or other substance into maleeggs, and the second injection station 42 can inject a vaccine or othersubstance into female eggs.

A sorting/transfer station 50 may be provided downstream of thetreatment station 40. The controller 20 generates a selective removalsignal to cause the sorting/transfer station 50 to remove eggs havingvarious identified characteristics (e.g., gender). The sorting/transferstation 50 may employ suction-type lifting devices as described abovewith respect to the lifting heads 132, 134 of the material extractionapparatus 30. Any other suitable means for removing the eggs may be usedas well, such apparatus being known to those of ordinary skill in theart.

In the illustrated embodiment, eggs identified according to gender aresorted. Male eggs are transferred from egg flats 7 to respective baskets51 and female eggs are transferred from egg flats 7 to respectivebaskets 52. Any non-live eggs may be left in the egg flats 7 forsubsequent processing or disposal.

The sorting/transfer station 50 preferably operates automatically androbotically. Alternatively, selected eggs may be identified on theoperator interface 22, optionally marked, and removed by hand.

According to embodiments of the present invention, eggs may be sortedbased on viability, pathogen content, and/or genetic analysis. Forexample, eggs that contain pathogens can be pulled out of the normalpopulation and not transferred to the hatcher, thereby preventinghorizontal transmission of disease agents.

Information Collection

Systems according to embodiments of the present invention can providevaluable information to those in the poultry industry. For example,identification and compilation of classes of embryonic mortality canprovide feedback on breeder flock management, egg handling andincubation conditions. Knowledge of number of viable eggs and sex canprovide an accurate prediction of product and streamline and optimizelogistics. Identification of pathogen detection and compilation of datacan help manage disease. Identification of genetic markers can beutilized by breeders. Identification of nutritional elements within theegg can be used to optimize feeding diets and regimes. Identification ofproteins or small molecules can be used to track or predict or optimizeperformance or immunity. In addition, one could use information fromembodiments of the present invention to track egg constituents and thenrelate them to bird performance and use this information for productdevelopment.

Material Extraction/Assaying Combination

According to embodiments of the present invention, a material extractionstation may be configured to perform various assaying techniques fordetermining characteristics of eggs. FIGS. 53-54 illustrate a module 600that is configured to attach to the material extraction apparatus 30 ofFIG. 14. An exemplary module 600 for assaying material in accordancewith embodiments of the present invention, and specifically using thecompetitive antibody assay procedure described below, is manufactured byLuminex Corporation, Austin, Tex.

The illustrated module 600 is configured to pull small samples ofmaterial extracted from eggs out of respective sample receptacles andfeed them into a reader system for analysis. Preferably, a sample tray151 having a plurality of sample receptacles 152 that contain materialextracted from eggs is fed into the illustrated module 600 from thesample tray handling system 150.

A competitive antibody assay procedure is utilized by the module 600 andis based on antibody coupled to internally dyed “beads”. The illustratedmodule 600 may be configured to handle any number if sample trays 151 ata time. For each sample tray 151, the module 600 includes a liquidhandler that is configured to pull small samples from respective samplereceptacles in a sample tray 151 and feed them into a reader system.

Specifically, if allantoic fluid is the material that has been extractedfrom eggs, the module 600 takes allantoic fluid and mixes it withpolystyrene microspheres, or beads (available from Luminex, Inc.,Austin, Tex.) which are coupled to estradiol molecules.Fluorescently-labeled anti-estradiol antibody is added to thebead/allantoic fluid mixture and mixed. This mixture is then incubatedat room temperature in the dark for 15-30 minutes. An amount of themixture (e.g., 50 μl-60 μl) is withdrawn and the assay results areprovided by an analyzer (Luminex, Inc., Austin, Tex.) which utilizeslasers to detect a fluorescent signal.

This assay procedure is based on competitive inhibition. A competitionfor the fluorescently labeled anti-estradiol antibody is establishedbetween the estradiol coupled to the beads and the estradiol in theallantoic sample. If the allantoic sample is from a female embryo andcontains estradiol, the estradiol in the sample will compete for thefluorescently tagged antibody and less antibody will bind to the beads.The assay signal, dependent upon the amount of antibody bound to thebeads, will be lower from a female-derived sample (inhibition offluorescent signal). If the allantoic sample is from a male embryo anddoes not contain estradiol, there will be much less competition fromestradiol in the sample and more beads will have the antibody bound. Themore antibody bound to the beads, the higher the signal.

According to embodiments of the present invention, coupled beads andantibody may be already present within sample receptacles of a sampletray. By eliminating the additional steps of adding beads and antibodywith extracted allantoic fluid, assaying time may be decreased, whichmay be commercially advantageous.

Referring to FIG. 54, the illustrated module 600 includes a templatehandling system 602, a high throughput reader system 604 for analyzingsamples, controls 606, and a fluid supply and drain system 608.

The foregoing is illustrative of the present invention and is not to beconstrued as limiting thereof. Although a few exemplary embodiments ofthis invention have been described, those skilled in the art willreadily appreciate that many modifications are possible in the exemplaryembodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings andadvantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications areintended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined inthe claims. Therefore, it is to be understood that the foregoing isillustrative of the present invention and is not to be construed aslimited to the specific embodiments disclosed, and that modifications tothe disclosed embodiments, as well as to other embodiments, are intendedto be included within the scope of the appended claims. The invention isdefined by the following claims, with equivalents of the claims to beincluded therein.

That which is claimed:
 1. An egg processing system, comprising: anincoming conveyor system configured to transport a plurality of eggs forprocessing; an outgoing conveyor system configured to transport the eggspost-processing; an egg cradle table having an array of cradlesconfigured to receive eggs for processing; a first lifting headconfigured to remove eggs from the incoming conveyor system and to placethe eggs within the array of cradles; a second lifting head configuredto remove eggs from the array of cradles and to place the eggs on theoutgoing conveyor system; and wherein the egg cradle table is movablerelative to the first and second lifting heads.
 2. The egg processingsystem of claim 1 wherein the egg cradle table is slidably mounted to aframe between the incoming and outgoing conveyor systems configured totransport incoming eggs to at least one of an injection station and asampling apparatus.
 3. The egg processing system of claim 2, wherein thesampling apparatus is configured to extract a sample material from theeggs.
 4. The egg processing system of claim 1, wherein each cradle isconfigured to receive a respective egg in a generally verticalorientation.
 5. An egg processing system, comprising: an incomingconveyor system configured to transport a plurality of eggs forprocessing; an outgoing conveyor system configured to transport the eggspost-processing; an egg cradle table having an array of cradlesconfigured to receive eggs for processing; means for transferring eggsfrom the incoming conveyor system to the array of cradles; means fortransferring eggs from the array of cradles to the outgoing conveyorsystem; and means for moving the egg cradle table relative to the meansfor transferring eggs from the incoming conveyor system and to the meansfor transferring eggs from the array of cradles.
 6. The egg processingsystem of claim 5, wherein the egg cradle table is slidably mounted to aframe between the incoming and outgoing conveyor systems configured totransport incoming eggs to at least one of an injection station and asampling apparatus.
 7. The egg processing system of claim 6, wherein thesampling apparatus is configured to extract a sample material from theeggs.
 8. The egg processing system of claim 5, wherein each cradle isconfigured to receive a respective egg in a generally verticalorientation.
 9. A method of processing eggs, comprising: automaticallyconveying, via an incoming conveyor system, a plurality of eggs forprocessing; automatically transferring the eggs to an egg cradle tablehaving an array of cradles configured to receive the eggs; moving theegg cradle table into a processing station so as to subject the eggspositioned in the array of cradles to a processing event; moving the eggcradle table out of the processing station; and automaticallytransferring the eggs to an outgoing conveyor system.
 10. The method ofclaim 9, wherein the eggs are subjected to a processing event in which asample material is extracted from the eggs.
 11. The method of claim 9,wherein automatically transferring the eggs to an egg cradle tablefurther comprises automatically transferring the eggs to an egg cradletable such that the eggs are received within each cradle in a generallyvertical orientation.